Court to get report on Maqubela’s health

Thandi Maqubela at the Cape Town High Court after being found guilty of killing her husband, Judge Patrick Maqubela. Picture: Cindy Waxa

Cape Town - A district surgeon evaluated convicted killer Thandi Maqubela on Wednesday after she referred to her slain husband as though he were still alive.

Prosecutor Bonnie Currie-Gamwo said the district surgeon's report would only be available on Thursday morning due to time constraints.

Western Cape High Court Judge John Murphy adjourned the matter until Thursday in Maqubela's absence. She would remain in custody.

In November, the same court found Maqubela guilty of killing her husband, acting judge Patrick Maqubela, in June 2009, despite not having conclusive medical evidence pinpointing a cause of death.

She was found guilty of forging her husband's will and committing fraud by causing potential prejudice to his estate.

Earlier on Wednesday, Murphy sent her to the hospital after noting that she did not appear “to be well”.

Normally well-dressed, she was led into court in a brown tracksuit, sneakers and a pink turban.

Currie-Gamwo said Maqubela had not applied for legal aid in her criminal matter, but had applied for legal aid for a civil matter involving her husband's estate.

Murphy reminded her that sentencing would take place at the end of the month and asked whether she intended getting a lawyer to represent her.

Maqubela played with an elastic band in her hand and did not seem to hear the judge. He repeated his question.

She eventually replied: “I want to go to my husband's office. I phoned them a long time ago and they said they would take me to my husband's office. They lie all the time. I know where is my husband's office (sic).”

Patrick Maqubela had been an acting judge in the Western Cape High Court.

Murphy pressed for an answer and said that if she wanted to represent herself, she should furnish him with the names and addresses of witnesses she wished to call that day.

She sat in silence for a while and replied: “My husband won't make fun of me. He won't shout at me. He wouldn't make jokes with me.”

The Star newspaper reported a week ago that the court had given Maqubela more time to file papers against a court order that resulted in her share of her husband's estate being frozen.

Last Tuesday, Muhammed Kagee, lawyer for the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), asked the court for an interim order to be extended until November 18.

The AFU obtained a provisional restraint order last month and is seeking to strip Maqubela of her share - believed to be worth around R7.2 million - of the estate.

According to the newspaper, this was on the grounds that her share constituted the “proceeds of unlawful activities”.